Norma Ann:
>But, since the loss of fur is pretty bad (and last time it was bilateral...
>she lost underfur down both sides of her body) and stress can exacerbate
>adrenal problems, she thinks that might be it.
Tis certainly sounds like adrenal-associated endocrinopathy to me.
>I asked about the Univ. of Tenn. adrenal panel, and she said she would
>ask the other Vet. about that, too (but since it is $75 for Vet's in the
>States, it would probably be a mint to get up here).
I think that UT is the only place that you can get it, and they charge $75
to everyone, even Canadians.... :)
>I saw adrenal glands on my dead-kitty in anatomy class and _they_ were so
>tiny...how you can get at them in a ferret, i can't even imagine! I really
>hope they don't tell me she needs surgery.
Actually, they are not too difficult - the left one (which is most commonly
affected is usually right there in the open, provided the ferret isn't too
fat. Plua, they are usually in the same place, if you know where to look.
>What happens if you just let this go? Will that kill her? What about
>lysodren therapy? Is that not effective enough?
Kill her outright - probably not, but it will markedly decrease quality of
life, activity, etc. Plus she'll be bald, so skin problems will become more
of a problem, as well as hypothermia, etc.
Lysodren is not the way to go here - it is very unpredictable and often does
little good, while surgery has a very high success rate.
>Molly is also underweight (only 1.5 pds) and how she could survive a Vet.
>who has probably never done this before cutting her open, I don't know.
1.5 pounds is not really underweight for a female ferret (although it would
depend on her size). Most of my females are less than that weight. But if
your vet has no experience in this type of surgery, I would suggest that you
find one that does. You wouldn't go for brain surgery to an orthopedic
surgeon )forgive the terrible analogy....)
Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP Chief Pathologist, AccuPath
[Posted in FML issue 1478]
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